


Impossible Takes Longer

by gryvon



Series: F.I.N.E. [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Friends to Lovers, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Hurt Tony Stark, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Kidnapped Tony Stark, M/M, Mutual Pining, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Steve Rogers, Slow Build, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Young Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-12
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-08-22 22:13:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16606421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gryvon/pseuds/gryvon
Summary: Steve was supposed to be Tony's chance at happiness. He saved Tony from Howard's abuse and Obadiah's machinations. He rescued Tony from the Ten Rings. But recovery is a long road, handling SI is hardly a walk in the park, and AIM will stop at nothing to capture Tony.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have very little medical knowledge so if there's something glaringly wrong, feel free to let me know in the comments.

Tony wakes in chunks. He's aware of warmth. The blanket underneath his hands is soft. Microfleece, maybe, like the blankets he hides in his closet because Howard doesn't approve. He hears beeping. It's loud but steady, familiar. Heart monitor. There's something in his nose, forcing in a steady stream of air and helping him breathe. He's in the hospital but he doesn't remember why. Howard, he assumes. Maybe Howard tried to kill him, like he'd threatened after his mom's death.

He doesn't want to wake up. He's terrified that he'll open his eyes and Howard will be there, waiting for him with that damn possessive smirk on his face. Unconsciousness pulls him under again and when he comes back up, he's not alone. He hears a voice. It takes a while to pierce the fog filling his brain. It comes into focus like tuning a radio station. He registers the tone of it first, a low mumble. It's soothing. He drifts, half-awake, listening to that voice. It sounds familiar.

Words come next. A passage of text that he recognizes. It's from his favorite book series. He smiles. JARVIS is the only one who knows that so who had he told?

"And there were his mother and father smiling at him again, and one of his grandfathers nodding happily. Harry sank down..."

Steve. That's Steve's voice. He wants to see Steve. His fingers twitch on the blanket. He tries to open his eyes but it's hard. His body fights him. He moans. Steve's voice cuts off and a warm hand squeezes his.

"Hey, Tony." Steve sounds sad and maybe a little relieved. "You're awake. How are you feeling?"

It hurts to open his eyes. Breathing hurts. Every part of his body hurts, but in a muted sort of way that speaks of heavy painkillers. He says as much, or tries to. All he can get out is, "Hurts."

"I know, sweetheart. It's going to hurt for a while, I'm afraid. The doctors have you on some pretty strong stuff right now but it can only do so much."

He doesn't fully parse what Steve's saying. He can tell he's injured but nothing Steve says registers past the word 'sweetheart.' It makes Tony's heart swell with the kind of happiness he hasn't felt since his mom died. He wants to hear Steve say it again, over and over until Tony's memorized the sound of it. He wants to record it and set it as his ringtone.

"What?" Steve smiles at him, soft and warm and so full of obvious affection that Tony wants to cry.

Tony's thought about this moment so many times. He's rehearsed it, over and over in his head, planned how he was going to tell Steve how much he loved him, to make it clear that he wanted to be with Steve and that he'd wait until he was old enough for Steve to be comfortable dating him. What comes out instead is a hacking cough.

"Right. Let's get you some water." Steve releases Tony's hand. The loss of contact hurts like a bucket of ice. He feels cold and alone without Steve's touch. Steve isn't gone long. He grabs a bottle of water from across the room and returns to Tony's bedside. "I'm going to adjust the bed for you, okay? Let me know the second anything hurts."

Tony nods obediently. Steve presses the controls to raise the bed. He goes slow but the change in position still causes something in Tony's chest to burn with muted agony. It isn't bad, though, as far as Tony's skewed scale of pain is concerned. Definitely not enough to risk Steve calling for a doctor. Tony doesn't want to deal with strangers right now. He wants to be left alone with Steve.

Steve cracks the bottle and presses it to Tony's lips. The water is blissfully cold. It takes everything in him not to moan at the feeling of it washing down his throat, soothing away the pain he hadn't even noticed. He tries to get Steve to tilt the bottle, to give him more than the thin, steady trickle but Steve resists.

"I know you want more," Steve says, "but you gotta go slow."

He feels parched, like he's gone weeks without drinking instead of hours. He's greedy for it. For a second, he wants to dump the water over his head and feel the cool wetness against his skin but the thought of water touching his face makes his stomach roll in panic. He's afraid and he doesn't understand why.

Steve pulls the bottle away just in time. Tony's stomach roils. He doesn't think drinking more would be a good choice. He searches for something to distract him and remembers the endearment Steve had slipped in. He smiles, shooting for suave but probably coming off more goofy than anything. "Sweetheart?" he says, hope making the word light on his tongue.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have. I just... I mean..." Steve is honest-to-God blushing and it's about the sweetest thing Tony's seen in his entire life. He can't help grinning back.

"Steve?" He slides his hand across the covers to close the distance between them. Even that minimal movement is a near-Herculean effort but he desperately needs to feel Steve's skin against his own.

"Yeah." Tony can't believe Steve's looking this bashful because of him.

"I like it." He grins wide, too happy to let his current condition temper it. He knows he'll have to deal with Howard soon, but that's for future Tony. Right now, he's going to bask in the knowledge that Steve likes him. Honestly likes him.

Impossibly, Steve's blush deepens. He looks like a bashful cherry. Tony finds it incredibly endearing.

"Okay," Steve says. "We can talk about it later. Now's not really the time and you're young and-"

He really needs to cut off Steve's rambling before he works himself up. "Steve?" He lets Steve's stammering peter off before imparting knowledge that Steve's obviously forgotten. "I'm eighteen."

Surprise washes over Steve's face. He really hadn't remembered. Tony doesn't blame him. They both were obviously preoccupied. There'd been the assassination attempt, and then Howard and the sudden trip with Obie. He hadn't wanted to mention his birthday in the midst of all that. He's going to celebrate with Rhodey when he sees him. Was Rhodey here? That doesn't seem right.

Steve rubs his thumb over the back of Tony's hand. "I'm sorry we didn't get to celebrate."

"Make it up to me later." He wants to throw some kind of double entendre in there but he doesn't think he's going to be up for much of anything intimate for a while. He can barely breathe, so anything strenuous is out for a while. There's nothing sexy about invalids.

He squeezes Steve's hand. His brain is fuzzy. "I dreamed Rhodey was here." He misses Rhodey. It's been so long... or has it? He was supposed to meet up with Rhodey after the Jericho demonstration. Did that happen already? He can't remember.

He's saved from spiraling into panic over missing time by Steve saying, "He is." Tony's eyes go wide in a mix of surprise and excitement. "It was his turn-" Steve cuts off with another blush. The tips of his ears turn pink. Tony tugs on Steve's hand when it seems like he's not going to continue. "We're taking turns sleeping."

Laughing hurts. Movement makes his chest feel like it's on fire. He presses a hand against his sternum, though that doesn't help. He can feel a mass of bandages underneath his thin hospital gown. He's not sure if he wants to see what's beneath the bandages. It can't be anything good, judging by how awful he feels.

"What happened?" Steve pales. His eyes get this wild, panicked look to them, so Tony hastily elaborates. "While I was gone." He's pretty sure he went to Afghanistan with Obie like he'd planned. "I remember the-"

Afghanistan. The Jericho missile demonstration. Rhodey had been there and he'd teased Tony about... about something and it'd made him mad. When they were leaving, he'd jumped into a different Humvee, closer to the front of the caravan, and made Rhodey ride in the back. The soldiers in his vehicle hadn't been much older than him. They'd taken a photo for Tony's Instagram and he'd tagged them in it. It'd just finished posting when....

Gunfire. Explosions. Dead eyes and blood everywhere. Scorching sand. A missile.

In a blink, he's back there, in that cave that he wants so much to forget. He never wants to see it again but it's there right in front of him like he's stepped out of the hospital into the desert. He can hear voices shouting in a dozen different languages. He can only pick out bits of what they're saying. He used to consider himself exceptionally talented with languages but he doesn't know most of these. Hungarian and Ukrainian and Arabic. He picks out Russian and French words. None of them mean anything good.

It's too hot in the day and freezing at night. They don't give him anything to keep warm. Yinsen builds a fire when they can and makes Tony wear his coat. Says Tony needs it more because he's injured. The shrapnel. Yinsen had cut out what he could but there was still damage to his heart and lungs. He blacked out when he got too stressed, which was almost every hour.

They'd beat him until he passed out. Hit him. Throw rocks. Burn him. None of that compared to the water. Seeing the bucket was enough to make him scream and that was before they forced his head in. He was going to drown. They were going to push too far and kill him. He wanted them too. At least then it'd be over and he wouldn't have to make them weapons.

"Tony?" He flinches away from the hands that touch his face but they are persistent. The touch is gentle, so unlike what he was expecting. He doesn't want to hurt anymore. He can't take anymore. "Come on, Tony, darling, sweetheart. Come on, breathe for me."

Sweetheart. He was just.... There'd been something.... Sweetheart. Who'd called him... Steve. Steve called him sweetheart.

He blinks and he's back in the hospital, staring into Steve's concerned face.

"Hey." Steve brushes his thumbs over Tony's cheeks. The gentle touch makes something shift loose inside of Tony. "Hey, you're safe. I'm here."

Safe. He wants to believe that. He wants desperately to finally be safe—from Howard, from the terrorists, from whoever tried to kill him. He wants to believe it but he can't. He knows safety is a dream that he'll never have. Steve pulls Tony into a loose embrace and he gives in to his tears. He sobs against Steve's chest. He's so scared that he'll be hurt again. He knows it's inevitable. He knows it will never stop but he's so, so tired of fighting.

He can't do it anymore. Not on his own. He can't.

There's a commotion outside the door. Tony stiffens, expecting to hear Howard's harsh voice but it's a woman.

"This is official Stark Industries business. It can't wait any longer."

His curiosity wins. He tugs Steve's sleeve to get his attention and nods toward the door. Steve studies him for a moment, as if judging his fitness for company. After a few seconds, Steve raises his voice. "Let her in."

Steve pulls away. Tony hates the woman in that moment, for making Steve let go. Steve returns to his chair as the door opens. A slender woman with red hair pulled into a severe ponytail marches in. "Good afternoon, Mr. Stark, Mr. Rogers. I'm Virginia Potts." Her heels click against the tile. She crosses the room and holds out her hand. Tony can't make himself let go of Steve to shake Potts's hand. He doesn't think he can bear to have anyone else touch him right now.

She takes Tony's hesitance in stride and pulls her hand back. "I'm from Stark Industries' legal department. I'll be your assistant until such time as you choose a replacement." Tony doesn't understand. He's never needed an assistant before. Is this some ploy by Howard to spy on him? "I need your impression." She holds a tablet out toward him.

"I like you," he says, words flowing out his mouth unbidden. "You're sharp." She has a no-nonsense attitude that's refreshing.

She hides a smile and steps forward, bringing the tablet closer. "I need your fingerprint. For the transfer of ownership."

Tony stares. Those words do not compute. He's pretty sure he's hallucinating again. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Mr. Stark and Mr. Stane's criminal status forfeits their share of Stark Industry holdings. Mr. Stark's shares fall to you, leaving you with the controlling interest in the company." She says all of that like it's a fact of nature. He knows they'd talked about seeing what SHIELD could do to protect him from Howard but he doesn't understand what Obie has to do with any of that.

He turns to Steve, expecting to find matching confusion but Steve's calm. None of this is a surprise to him. "What!?"

How long had he been missing? What the hell happened?

Steve looks apologetic. "I haven't had a chance to fill him in," he tells Potts.

Potts steamrolls right over his confusion. She thrusts the tablet into his hands. He's too surprised to freak out about being handed something. Maybe it's her no-nonsense nature that does it. He feels like she'd be up-front about any attempt to kill him, rather than using something in the tablet to do it. "The legal ownership of the company has been in flux for weeks. I need your approval now."

He obeys out of reflex. It simply doesn't occur to him to disagree. She flips through documents and points and he presses his thumb when she tells him. She takes the tablet back when they're done.

"Thank you, Mr. Stark. When would be a good time to discuss your transition into the CEO position?"

What? What!? He turns to Steve as panic restricts his breath. "I can't be the CEO. I just turned eighteen."

Steve puts himself in front of Tony, gives him something to focus on while Steve negotiates dates with Potts. Steve gets Potts to agree to come back tomorrow which feels way too soon for Tony to be dealing with any of this but it's not like he's being given a choice.

Potts turns to leave and the craziest thought comes to Tony. "Can I call you Pepper?"

She arches a delicate eyebrow but smiles. "Why don't we stick with 'Ms. Potts' for now? Will that be all, Mr. Stark?"

"Yes, that will be all, Ms. Potts." As soon as she's out the door, Tony collapses back against the pillows. His head is swimming. Panic looms, ready to strike. "What the hell just happened?"

Steve frowns at the curse word but Tony's injuries give him a pass. He smooths the blankets over Tony and tucks them around his sides. "You should get some rest."

Tony's protest is cut off as a doctor walks in, followed by a pair of nurses. They start talking to him, asking him how he feels and what day he thinks it is. There are hands on him. Steve moves out of the way to let the nurses get close. Tony's breath hitches. It's too much. His brain is reeling from what Potts had said and the implications of what she hadn't said. He doesn't understand what's going on.

His heart monitor sounds a shrill warning. Tony doesn't try to fight it. He's glad when unconsciousness pulls him under. He can't deal with anything else today.

* * * * *

When he wakes a second time, the room is dark. Someone is speaking, soft and soothing, but the words cut off before Tony can process them. He blinks at the ceiling.

"Hey," Rhodey says. He closes the book he'd been reading out loud—the third Harry Potter—and sets it aside.

Tony turns his head and smiles. He twitches his hand toward Rhodey, who takes the hint and wraps both of his hands around Tony's. "Hey," Tony says back.

"You gave us a bit of a scare there, Tonnes. You should have stayed with me."

"Sorry." His voice is hoarse from sleep. He coughs, then regrets it as his chest reminds him of his injuries.

"Not your fault."

He's not up to debating that right now. He should have listened to Rhodey. "Steve?"

"Sleeping in one of the empty rooms. He didn't want to but he needed it. Your boy charmed the nurses into letting us crash here outside visitor's hours. He'll be back in a bit. It's impossible to keep him away."

Tony smiles. "You just want me all to yourself," he teases.

"Guilty as charged." Rhodey leans back in his chair. He takes one hand back but leaves the other holding on to Tony.

He doesn't want to ask, but he knows he needs to. Better to get it over with before he's mobbed again. "What happened?"

Rhodey quirks an eyebrow. He sits forward, balancing his elbow on the side of the bed. "Do you remember the weapons demonstration?"

He nods. He'd been so excited. It'd gone so well.

"We were attacked on the way back to base. They were targeting you. I thought-" Rhodey shakes his head and looks away. "I thought you were dead. When the explosions started... I thought there was no way. But when we... we couldn't find... so we knew you'd been taken."

Tony squeezes Rhodey's hand. "'m tough to kill. Like a cockroach."

Rhodey barks a short laugh. "Something like that." His grin is tempered by unshed tears. "I'm really, really glad you're not dead."

He tries a smile on for size. It mostly fits. Enough that he can pretend. "Me too."

"You've made some cool friends since we last talked."

Tony's smile softens. He melts a little inside as he thinks of Steve. "Yeah. Steve's great." He tugs Rhodey's hand until Rhodey leans closer. Tony drops his voice to a whisper. "I think I'm in love."

Rhodey drops a quick kiss on Tony's forehead. "Good. You deserve it. He seems pretty gone on you too."

"Really?" His smile must be absolutely ridiculous.

"Yeah. Yeah, I think so." Rhodey sighs and shakes his head fondly. "I can't believe my best friend is dating Captain America."

Tony blinks. "Huh?"

"What do you mean 'huh?'"

Tony frowns. "Steve isn't Captain America."

Rhodey stares at him with wide eyes and then takes his hand back so he can cover his face and groan. "Oh, fuck, he didn't tell you. You don't know." Rhodey looks at the ceiling like it holds the answers to life and the universe. "Only you, Tonnes."

"What?" He's so confused.

Rhodey takes his hand again and stares at Tony, suddenly serious. "Tony, Steve Rogers is Captain America. After you were kidnapped, SHIELD sent the Howling Commandos to find you. Way I hear, they volunteered. You didn't see... Man, Steve was frantic. He was going out of his mind while you were gone."

Tony's heart is so full of emotion, he feels like he's going to burst. "He... Steve is...." He blushes and groans. God, he's such an idiot. "I can't believe he let me fanboy. The first time we met I showed him my shrine. God, Rhodey, he saw the whole stupid thing and I just kept talking about how I'd made their equipment like it was something cool and the whole time he was there and he just..." He cuts himself off with another groan.

"At least you didn't do that in front of Bucky or Dum Dum?"

Tony is going to die from embarrassment. Absolutely die. "Don't fucking tell me...."

Rhodey laughs at him. Traitor. "You don't know about them either? Did you tell Bucky about the cool arm you designed for the Winter Soldier?"

He groans and sinks against the mattress. He totally had. He'd been drunk at the time but he vaguely remembers geeking over Bucky's prosthesis and telling him about the one he'd built for the Winter Soldier. And he'd practically begged Dum Dum for stories about the Commandos.

"I'm never going to be able to face them. You have to hide me, Rhodey. Ship me off to Peru so I can change my name and live in horribly embarrassed exile."

"Nope." Rhodey says the word with enthusiasm. "I'd much rather watch you squirm."

Tony groans again. He hams it up to get Rhodey laughing.

It's so easy to fall into the familiar comradery he shared with Rhodey. It was like they were back in the MIT dorms again. It'd honestly been the best time of Tony's life. He could forget about Howard and Stark Industries for a while and just be Tony. He could be a kid.

"I'm guessing they didn't fill you in on the other stuff as well?"

Tony lets out an explosive sigh. His chest hurts from his antics but he doesn't want to call a nurse. "There was a woman from SI earlier. I... I'm CEO, Rhodey. Who thought that was a good idea?"

"It is a good idea," Rhodey says. He's always had more faith in Tony than Tony had in himself. "You'll do great." He shrugs. "They also don't have many other options."

"What happened...?" He almost doesn't want to know.

Rhodey leans back in his chair and narrows his eyes. "Why didn't you tell me, Tony? I would have helped you."

Tony tries to pull his hand away but Rhodey won't let him. He finds a corner of the room to stare at. "He'd hurt you. I didn’t... I don't want anyone else to get killed because of me."

"It wouldn't have come to that," Rhodey says. Tony doesn't correct him. He remembers the long night waiting for his mom too well. "They arrested him. Howard. He went to jail and everything. Not for long, though. Bastard. He got out on bail and then some cronies spirited him away. No one knows where he went."

Tony shudders. Not knowing where Howard is terrifies him. He can only imagine what kind of revenge Howard must be planning.

"Hey." Rhodey squeezes his shoulder. "You're safe. You've got Captain America, the Howling Commandos, and all of SHIELD watching out for you." Rhodey grins. "And you've got me. I managed to swing a bit of leave. No one's getting past us."

He licks his lips. The heart monitor is beeping a little faster but Rhodey doesn't comment. He needs a shiny new change of topic. "What happened to Obie?"

Rhodey's face darkens. He hasn't seen Rhodey that angry in a long time. "Stane was behind it all." Tony opens his mouth to ask what Rhodey's talking about but Rhodey beats him to it. "That sniper, the terrorists. He paid them, Tony. That viper was smiling and pretending to be your friend while plotting to have you killed."

"W-What?"

He pulls his hand out of Rhodey's grip to clutch his chest. It hurts to breathe. It hurts so much. He's not sure if the sob that breaks out of him is because of the pain or the sharp despair knowing that his only remaining parental figure secretly despised him. He squeezes his eyes shut to hold back tears. It doesn't work.

Rhodey climbs into bed with him and pulls Tony against him. His chest burns from the change in position but he doesn't care. He needs this. He needs Rhodey's arms around him while he sobs into Rhodey's shoulder.

"W-Why?" Tony forces out what feels like an eternity later. "What's wrong with me, Rhodey? Why does everyone hate me?"

"Hey." Rhodey rubs circles on his back. The wounds there are so heavily bandaged that Tony barely feels the touch. "It's not everyone. Just those two pricks. You know I love you and my family's crazy about you. I had to talk mom out of driving up while you were unconscious. She sent five care packages. Five. And it's pretty obvious Steve's over the moon. You've actually had a bunch of visitors while you were out. Just you wait, you're going to be smothered in love."

Tony doesn't point out that it's different. That he knows there's something wrong with him to make his father—one of the two people who were supposed to love him unconditionally—hate him. Obie had filled that void for him but it was the same in the end.

"Where is he? Where's Obie?"

Rhodey's arms tighten. "We don't know that either. He disappeared after the weapons demonstration in Afghanistan. Someone must have tipped him off that SHIELD was looking for him. Coward."

Tony presses his face against Rhodey's chest. He's scared. Howard and Obie are two of the most powerful people he knows. If they want him dead, then it's only a matter of time. The only question is how many people they're going to hurt to get to Tony.

He can't let anyone else die because of him.


	2. Chapter 2

Tony's head shoots up when he hears a knock on the door. He'd welcome just about anyone right now, maybe even Howard, if it meant he could take a break from expense reports and financial proposals. He's pleasantly surprised when Yinsen sticks his head in.

"Am I interrupting?"

Tony shakes his head, maybe a little too eagerly if Pepper's eyeroll is any indication. She packs up her papers and the two tablets they were using. "We can finish this tomorrow." She stands. "Will that be all, Mr. Stark?"

"That will be all, Ms. Potts." Tony can't help grinning slightly. As mind-numbingly boring as the paperwork is, he enjoys spending time with Pepper, even if she won't let him call her Pepper. Yet.

Yinsen doesn't sit. He stands at the foot of Tony's bed and run a critical eye over Tony. "You're healing well."

"Thanks to you. I'd be dead if it wasn't for you. I owe you my life."

Yinsen's smile is soft, fatherly like Tony's only ever seen in movies. "The best repayment would be a long and happy life. I'm sure your Steve has some things to say on the matter."

Tony blushes and ducks his head. Steve'd been with him all morning, until he'd been called away on SHIELD business. Between Steve, Pepper, Rhodey, and Steve's friends, Tony hasn't had more than a few minutes alone. He doesn't much mind. He doesn't want to be left alone with his anxieties and the memory of what happened.

"You're in good hands," Yinsen says. He steps forward and extends a hand. "It has been a pleasure knowing you, Tony Stark."

He's confused but he shakes Yinsen's hand anyway. "You're leaving?"

Yinsen nods. "I'm going home."

"To your family?" Yinsen had talked about them in the cave. He'd said he'd see them when they escaped. Tony's a little surprised Yinsen has stayed in the United States this long.

"My family's dead, Stark." Tony freezes in shock, eyes wide and mouth agape. "My plan was to join them, but it seems that will have to wait a little longer. I spoke with your friend Rhodes. I can be of use to the army there. Perhaps I can help others so their stories are not like mine."

Tony swallows. They'd talked a lot about what they were going to do when they got out of the cave. Tony has seen the devastation that the weapons he designed have caused. He's witnessed it first-hand, nearly died because of it, and here he is blindly following the path his father laid out for him. Nothing has changed. All of his pain and suffering were for nothing.

"Tony?"

He looks up at Yinsen with tears in his eyes. He remembers the dead eyes of the soldiers that had died protecting him. He should have died in that cave. "I don't deserve this. I don't deserve to be here."

Yinsen crouches and takes Tony's hand in his. "You feel guilty for being alive. I know this. I have felt it. Remember this feeling but do not let it define you. You are young and you have years in front of you. Are you listening to me?"

Tony wipes his tears away with his free hand and nods.

"Your life is your own. Most of us don't get second chances. Use this. Use it to be better, but most important of all, use it to be happy."

"Okay." He swallows past the lump in his throat. "Okay. I... I can do that."

He has no idea how he's going to do that. He's not even sure what would make him happy, besides Steve.

Yinsen squeezes his hand and meets Tony's gaze. "Promise me you will not waste your time being unhappy."

He lets out a wet chuckle. It sounds corny but he can't deny Yinsen this. He nods. "I promise."

"Good." Yinsen releases his hand and stands. "I hope we can meet again, Tony Stark."

"I hope so too."

A nurse appears after Yinsen leaves. She helps him through motions meant to test his mobility and changes the bandages on his chest. She pretends not to notice him crying. Once she finishes her tasks, she straightens the room and pulls out another blanket for him. She stays until his tears stop.

"Thank you," he whispers. She smiles at him and nods on her way out the door.

A vaguely familiar man arrives minutes later. It's enough time for Tony to compose himself, at least a little bit. Enough that he can pretend and force a weak smile. "Um, hi?"

"Hi," the man says as he settles in the chair next to Tony's bed. "Hi. I'm Sam. We met briefly, back before..." Sam waves his hand in a gesture that encompasses the whole pre-Afghanistan time of Tony's life.

It feels like his freak-out in Steve's apartment was years ago instead of weeks. He remembers Sam, though. Sam had been friendly and inviting and he'd seemed like he actually cared that Tony was hurting. He likes Sam, and even though they've met exactly once before, Sam fills him with the same sense of safety that Steve and Rhodey do.

"Anyway, big fan. I'd ask for your autograph but now seems like a bad time."

Tony smiles. He lifts one arm and watches it tremble. "I'm not really at the 'holding things steady' stage yet."

"It's okay. We can trade later." Sam grins when he notices Tony's confusion. "I hear you have my picture on your wall."

Tony groans and drops his head back against the pile of pillows Steve and Rhodey had procured for him, the heavy conversation with Yinsen momentarily forgotten. "Don't tell me you're one of the Howling Commandos too?"

"Nope," Sam says, still grinning. He leans forward and drops his voice into a conspiratorial whisper. "I piloted the EXO-7."

Tony's eyes go wide. The heart monitor echoes his sudden excitement. He tries to sit up. Sam lurches forward, pushing him back down before he can hurt himself.

"Whoa, whoa, calm."

How is Tony supposed to be calm right now? He's pretty sure the rapid beating of his heart is going to summon another nurse, which is probably a good thing because he's feeling a little dizzy.

"But, you flew!" he gasps, forcing the words out with too little breath. "Was it awesome? What did it feel like?"

Sam holds Tony down. It doesn't take much. He wasn't strong before, but he's weak as a newborn kitten now. "Calm down and I'll tell you, okay? Come on. Breathe."

Tony sucks in a shallow breath. Sam guides him through a few steady breaths so that his heart rate is almost back to normal by the time a frantic nurse rushes in. It's worth the lecture, though, because as soon as she leaves, Sam tells him all about piloting the EXO-7. It makes Tony jealous. He wanted to test it out but Howard never let him. It sounds every bit as amazing as he'd imagined.

Maybe that's something Tony will do. Instead of weapons he could steer SI into assistive tech. Stronger vehicles, better armor, an update to the EXO program. He'd liked working on the gadgets the Howling Commandos used.

"About that," Sam says once Tony's calm again. "Has the hospital talked to you about seeing a therapist?"

Tony stiffens. He shakes his head warily. He can't remember how many times he's been told he needs one but Howard was always quick to nix that. He didn't want Tony spilling any family secrets and it was one less person he had to pay off to cover up the abuse.

"They will. After what you've been through, even before that mess in Afghanistan, I think it'd help a lot. I know it can be scary baring your soul to strangers, so I wanted to offer my ear. I've done a lot of work with the VA with people who've gone through what you have. You don't have to talk to me, but you need to talk to someone, preferably someone you're comfortable with. Steve or Bucky or Rhodes. I hear your Aunt Peggy's a pretty good listener too."

The thought of telling anyone what happened terrifies him. It's not just that he thinks they'll look down on him for being weak and breaking under torture, but that he doesn't want to shine a light on the gaping wounds still inside of him, the ones that no bandage can cover. He's screamed when one of the nurses brought in a shallow bucket of water to give him a sponge bath. He's terrified of taking a shower.

"You don't have to decide anything right now, okay? Just know that we're here for you, when you're ready to talk. Why don't I tell you about the non-classified parts of pararescue instead?"

Sam has a million stories. Tony relaxes against the bed, feeling lazy and heavy as he listens. He's sure some of what Sam says is pure embellishment but he doesn't call Sam on it. It makes for better stories.

Sam's in the middle of telling Tony about jumping out of an airplane in Kandahar when the machines around them give a collective beep and the lights go out. The sudden silence is deafening. It fills Tony with a sense of wrongness that prickles down his spine. He fists his hands in the blankets. The soft texture reminds him that he's not in the cave. He has to keep reminding himself that he's not there. Steve saved him. He's not in the cave.

He's panicking. He knows that, but he can't stop.

"Tony? Tony!"

Sam's voice pulls him back. Light filters in from the street. Sam must have thrown open the curtains. It's not much—it's eerily dark outside too—but it's enough that he can make out the vague shape of the room.

"Hey, there." Sam squeezes Tony's hands. "Focus on me, okay? We need to get you breathing. In and out. Nice and slow."

He's not sure how long they stay like that, still in the dark with the sound of Tony's labored breathing filling the space between them. There are voices outside the room. People shouting. Frantic running. He can survive without the machines but he knows there are people in the building who aren't so lucky. Emergency lights flicker to life in the hallway, bringing more light into the room. He's not in the cave. He can breathe. He's fine.

He wants to ask Sam to call Steve but he can't find his voice.

There's a loud bang outside, followed by shouting. Tony flinches. He hates how scared he is but he's never done well with shouting, even before the terrorists. They'd scream at him and he never understood what they were saying, only that they were angry and going to punish him.

Sam looks between Tony and the door, conflicted. There's another loud bang. Tony's whimper spurs Sam into movement.

"Hey, hey, you're safe here, okay? No one's going to hurt you."

He knows the logic behind Sam's words is sound but that doesn't stop his heart from beating double-time. His head spins without the mechanical flow of steady oxygen. Breathe. He has to breathe.

Sam squeezes his hands again, then stands. "I'm going to go see what the commotion is, okay? You'll be okay here, right? I'll only be gone a minute."

He wants to protest. He wants to hold onto Sam and not let him leave but someone might be in trouble. He's being irrational. He's overreacting. Howard used to say that all the time. Tony overreacts.

He nods. He doesn't trust his voice not to give away his fear. Sam smiles and Tony knows he made the right call. Then Sam's gone, leaving him alone in the darkness.

He's going to be okay. This isn't the cave. No one's going to hurt him here. He's safe. SHIELD's looking out for him and Sam's just outside the door.

The door opens and an unfamiliar nurse walks in. Tony's head swims from sudden, irrational panic. The man smiles. It's not quite reassuring, but Tony blames his own insecurities on that. His mind's making up demons in the dark. He's a big-name patient. Of course they're going to send someone to check on him.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Stark?" The man asks. He unhooks Tony from the dead machines. Tony's not sure if that makes him feel better or worse. They must not be expecting the power back soon.

"Been better," he wheezes.

The man gives a sympathetic smile. "Trouble breathing?"

Tony nods. That's an understatement. His chest feels like it's covered in weights. He can barely draw breath. He knows his panic is only making it worse.

"I've got something here that will help." The nurse pulls a syringe from his pocket and injects its contents into Tony's IV. "Relax. We'll take good care of you."

Something about the way the man says 'we' seems off. Like he's not referring to the hospital or the nursing staff but something else. Something sinister. Tony only has a minute to question those words, then his eyelids are drooping. It's an effort to stay awake and Tony knows that's not right. It was supposed to help him breathe, not put him to sleep. He can't get his mouth to move. He needs Sam. He needs to call for help but sleep takes him instead.

* * * * *

"Knock it off." Sam pulls on his military training as he marches up to the two idiots fighting in the hallways. They've attracted a crowd of patients and hospital staff. There isn't much to their brawl really. They're pulling their punches. It's a show, he realizes, just in time for the two men to turn on him.

"Fuck!" He ducks a blow from a beefy nurse and slaps aside a punch from the doctor. They're combat trained. It's obvious in the way they move. They're good too.

He's better. Plus, he has the added motivation of knowing Steve is going to kill him if something happens to Tony because Sam fell for a stupid ruse.

It takes longer than he likes to knock the two men cold. They get in a few lucky hits that are going to smart tomorrow. He's moving before the second one hits the floor.

"Call the police," he shouts over his shoulder.

When he gets back to Tony's room, Tony is gone, bed and all. The halls are dark and full of people. Tony could be anywhere, but they took the bed too.

He takes off running in the opposite direction of the fight, peering down each hallway as he comes to it. Third one down and he spots an empty bed shoved against the wall next to the stairwell entrance. That's got to be it.

He wishes he had a gun or something other than his bare hands. He'd kill for his wings, though they're not the best in tight spaces. He pulls the door open. He can hear someone running down the stairs. They've got a good head start but Sam's never been afraid of heights. He leaps over the banister and lands on the level below. He pauses long enough to verify the area is clear before doing it again and again and again.

The guy's trying to pull open the first-floor door while balancing Tony in his arms. Sam aims a kick at the door, ripping it out of the man's hand. He uses his rebound off the door to launch a flying left-hook at the guy's face. It has the benefit of making him drop Tony, but Sam winces when he hears Tony's head hit the concrete.

He really hopes he didn't get Tony killed, but he's got a more pressing issue to worry about. Tony's would-be kidnapper is pissed off. Sam's too busy dodging blows to land one. He harries the man, keeping him focuses on Sam instead of going back for Tony. It works pretty well up until the guy decides he's had enough. One minute Sam's feet are on the ground, the next he's flying. His lands on his back on the stairs and man does that smart. The guy growls and lifts his boot, about to stomp the lights out of Sam, when a metal arm comes out of nowhere, knocking the guy cold.

Bucky holds his hand out with a goofy grin. "Hey."

"Hey, yourself." He lets Bucky pull him up and into a quick hug. "Anyone ever tell you you've got great timing?"

"All the time." Bucky slaps Sam on the back—with his flesh hand, but he still winces and gets an apologetic look in return—and kneels down to check on Tony.

"Is he dead?" Steve is going to kill him until he's dead and then some.

Bucky shakes his head. "No. Concussed probably and still not breathing great but he's got a pulse."

"I'll take it. Come on, let's go before Steve gets here. I'm in enough trouble as it is."

Bucky grins and scoops Tony up like he weighs nothing. Kid probably does. He's skin and bones at best. Someone needs to stuff him full of burgers and candy. Maybe he can sneak some in if the kid's up to solids.

Sam follow Bucky and contemplates earning Tony's forgiveness through pie.

* * * * *

Steve is sure he looks like a crazy person as he runs through the halls to Tony's new room. He wishes he could have come sooner but he had to make sure the AIM goons terrorizing Central Park were corralled first. He should have realized it was a diversion to draw them away from Tony.

"How is he?" Steve asks as he bursts into the room.

Sam and Bucky are conversing with a doctor. They all turn to stare at him but Tony's worryingly still.

Bucky meets Steve halfway, hands up to stop Steve from rushing the bed. "He's fine. A little banged up, but fine."

"He has a concussion, but it's minor," the doctor—his name badge says 'Strange'—says. He flips through screens on his tablet. "X-Rays show no sign of breakage. The fall aggravated his punctured lung and I'm concerned about the damage the stress has put on his heart."

Steve grips Bucky's hand, needing the reassurance. "But he'll be okay?"

The doctor nods. "As long as he avoids further stressful situations."

Steve sighs. Tony seems to attract stress like a magnet.

The doctor leaves and Sam vacates the visitor's chair for Steve.

"Has he woken up at all?"

Sam and Bucky share a look, obviously judging how much to tell him.

"Just give it to me straight."

Bucky shrugs and leans against the foot of Tony's bed. "He woke up, had a panic attack, and had to be sedated again."

"Great." Steve scrubs his hands over his face. "Just great." He falls back against the chair and stares at Tony. Tony looks too pale and still. "He can't stay here."

"I agree." They all snap to attention as Colonel Carter walks in the room. "At ease, gentlemen."

Steve hovers, unsure whether to sit or offer the chair to Peggy. He settles for leaning against the wall next to Tony's head. "What do you have in mind?"

Peggy brushes her fingers over Tony's lax hand. There's longing in her expression, and regret. "I was thinking he could stay with me," she says, voice soft.

Steve melts a little. He knows how much that would mean to Tony. "I think he'd like that. He really misses you."

Peggy's gaze lingers on Tony's slack face. Her hand twitches forward, as if going to brush the hair out of his face, but she holds herself back. Steve wants to encourage her—Tony's practically touch-starved—but it's not his place.

"Yes, well." Peggy straightens. "I assume I can count on your continued support?"

Steve nods. "Of course. It would be my honor."

There's a twinkle in her eye that suggests she knows exactly how Steve feels about Tony. If she finds it improper, she doesn't say anything. Her lips twist into a smirk and she nods. "I'll clear it with his doctor and make the arrangements."

Bucky sighs as soon as the door closes behind Peggy. "Not more babysitting duty."

Sam rolls his eyes and elbows Bucky in the ribs. "Shut up. You know you like him."

Bucky holds his indignation for a few seconds before letting it fall away into a grin. "Yeah, maybe. Kid grows on you. Like a fungus."

Steve laughs. He knows this isn't the end of it, not by a long-shot, but he feels better knowing that Tony'll be moved somewhere more secure. It's easier to monitor an apartment building than a hospital. No doubt Peggy already has a good amount of security in place and she won't mind if Steve adds to it.

He's going to keep Tony safe or die trying.


	3. Chapter 3

Tony's too tired to question Steve when he says they're checking out. Steve and Rhodey get him situated in a wheelchair. Rhodey fusses with the portable oxygen tank while Steve tucks a blanket around him so that he doesn't get cold. In July. Tony's not going to ask either of them to stop. He will never admit it but he loves being fussed over. He's not used to people showing they cared, at least not this many.

Bucky is waiting in the car. He offers a bored, "Hey, kid," as Tony slides into the back. Movement comes easier now but he's definitely not up for anything more strenuous than a trip to the bathroom and back.

He's not sure where they're taking him. They didn't say and Tony didn't ask. He kind of likes the surprise of it. Steve's arm is stretched across the backseat, at the perfect height for Tony to press his face against Steve's exposed skin. He sighs, content with this casual comfort.

He dozes a little. The drive isn't that long, he thinks. Steve taps on his thigh to wake him. Steve's smiling at him so it's easy to offer a sleepy smile back. There's another wheelchair waiting outside. He doesn't recognize the building. He's pretty sure they're in Manhattan though he's not familiar with this neighborhood. Stark Tower looms in the distance.

"Does Rhodey know where I'll be?" Tony asks in the elevator. His eye wanders over the discrete camera. He wonders if they'd let him install JARVIS here. He may 'forget' to ask and do it anyway if he's staying here long.

Steve's chuckle sends warm breath tickling over Tony's ear. "Yes, he knows. He packed up some of your things. Should be inside waiting for you."

If he'd known Rhodey was going to the Tower he would have made a list. He doubts they'd let him bring any tools or projects, but he'd kill for a tablet or something more advanced than Steve's appallingly outdated phone. He doesn't even have Instagram, the barbarian.

Bucky grins as he jogs ahead to the door of apartment 4G. There's something suspicious about it, but not in a bad way. Definitely not kidnapping level suspicious. More like someone about to play a prank.

The door opens into a swank apartment done in soft velvets and light earth tones. The long emerald green drapes are pulled aside to let in natural light from the tall windows. Steve wheels Tony in. There's a murmur of muted conversation that picks up as Tony's eyes go wide. Colorful letters spell out 'Happy Birthday' in a banner over the fireplace. There are people here, more people than Tony realized he knew, or who cared. No one shouts 'surprise' which is smart given the weakened state of his heart.

Aunt Peggy is the first to come forward. She crouches down to his level and takes his hands in hers. "Welcome home, darling."

His mouth hangs open. He blinks back tears. It takes longer than it should for the words to process and when they do, he's left absolutely stunned. "Home?" His voice quakes with emotion.

"Yes, darling, if you'll have it." She brushes Tony's hair away from his eyes. It's getting long and curly but he doesn't care enough to ask to have it cut. "What do you say?"

He's crying in front of all these people. He feels stupid but happy at the same time and sniffles as he brushes away tears. "Yes. Yeah, I... I'd like that."

"Wonderful." She squeezes his hands and stands. "I hope you don't mind the party." Her eyes dart over to Steve. There's mischief in her smile. "Loverboy here pointed out that we missed your eighteenth birthday and I just couldn't abide that."

Tony blushes. He can't remember the last time someone's thrown a party that was actually for him. He glances at the presents on the coffee table, there and back so quick he hopes no one notices. He's not a greedy person but he's almost giddy over the thought of presents.

He looks at the gathered crowd and feels so overwhelmingly loved. It's a bit much, considering the gaping void of emotions in most of his personal relationships thus far. "You... you didn't have to."

"Of course not," Rhodey says, stepping around the couch to take over Tony's wheelchair. "But we wanted to so suck it up and enjoy it."

He doesn't have an argument for that.

* * * * *

Tony is exhausted when Steve finally helps him to bed. Peggy's given him a room with an attached bathroom. He'll be thankful for that when he inevitably wakes up at one a.m. to pee. He's relaxed and sleepy, enough that it feels like he's being poured into bed. It reminds him of being pleasantly drunk or high but no drugs were involved. He smiles as Steve makes a pile of pillows to prop him up to help his breathing, then tucks the sheets carefully around him.

He's never been in love before. It's intoxicating.

Steve presses a kiss to his forehead and whispers a quick 'good night.' Tony catches his sleeve before he can go too far. Steve smiles, indulgent, and turns back. "What do you need?"

He shakes his head. He doesn't want to give Steve the wrong impression. "Not need, I just..." He considers his words carefully. "Can I ask you... There's something I was going to ask you for, on my birthday."

Steve's eyes widen a little. He sits on the edge of Tony's bed, suddenly serious. "What is it, Tony? You can ask me anything."

He's never blushed as much as he has since meeting Steve Rogers. He's been on dates before. He's had sex before. All of that feels like he was playing pretend compared to this. "Will you kiss me? As a- As a birthday present. Please?"

Steve's smile softens into something warm and so full of affection that Tony melts a little inside. "If that's what you want."

"Please?" He's not this weak and tender thing, except for Steve he is.

"Yeah," Steve says. His large hand covers the side of Tony's face. It's so warm. Tony leans in to it like a cat, basking from attention. "Okay."

There's a seriousness to Steve's gaze. His eyes flick from Tony's lips to his eyes and back again. He leans in slowly, giving Tony time to pull away if he wanted. Tony wants no such thing. His heart's beating fast—but not too fast to set off the heart monitor on his wrist. He feels like the least sexy person in the world with his bandages and oxygen tank but Steve's looking at him like he just stepped off of a movie set.

Steve's thumb caresses the side of his face. He stops, scant inches from Tony's lips, and says, "I'm in love with you, Tony."

He's breathless from those words alone. His eyes feel comically wide when Steve kisses him. He registers lips on his, soft and tender and hesitant. He sighs into the kiss. His eyes slide closed and he parts his lips, a hint that Steve does not miss. Steve's hands hold him gently still as Steve slides his tongue into Tony's mouth. Tony groans. He wants to deepen the kiss, to turn it into a lusty, wanton thing but Steve keeps the pace slow. Steve kisses him with reverence and passion and so much love it makes Tony want to cry.

It's over far too soon. Tony blinks, unsure of his surroundings beyond the solid presence of Steve. His breathing is short, stuttering. Steve sits with him, holding his hand and breathing loudly so that Tony will match. He feels boneless against the pillows. His eyes droop, sliding closed without his input.

Steve kisses him on the forehead, on each cheek and the tip of his nose, before finally pulling away. Sleep has too much of a claim on Tony for him to voice a complaint.

"Sleep well, Tony. I'll see you in the morning."

He's asleep before he can attempt a response.


	4. Chapter 4

"Here you go." Rhodey tosses the box in Tony's lap and drops heavily onto the couch next to him. "It's creepy to have your robots send you care packages."

Tony rolls his eyes and digs at the haphazard duct tape holding the box closed. He'd recognize DUM-E's handiwork anywhere. "JARVIS is an AI, not a robot."

Rhodey rolls his eyes. "Fine. Your codependent technological children. Point still stands." He lightly bumps his shoulder against Tony's. "JARVIS wants to know when you're coming back."

He winces. He doesn't know if he can ever go back to the Tower. Too many bad things have happened there. He doesn't think Peggy wants DUM-E running around her apartment though. Far too many things to break. He's going to have to think of a solution eventually. Well, a solution other than sneaking into Steve's apartment and refusing to leave. Sam likes him, he'd probably allow it and Bucky is bribable.

"I don't know," he says instead of the crazy ideas running around his head. Wishful thinking has never done him any good.

He crows in triumph as he pulls the box open. JARVIS packed two of his holographic tablets, some of the blueberries he kept stocked in the lab, a drawing from DUM-E and U that looked vaguely like a bunch of hearts, and a thin, black cylinder. Tony grabs the cylinder first.

Rhodey has just enough time to ask, "What's that?" Tony presses it against his leg and pushes down on the top. There's a pneumatic hiss. He feels a quick pinch, winces in spite of himself, and tosses the used canister back in the box.

Rhodey's eyes narrow in suspicion. "Tony, what did you just do?"

He grins, cheeky, and pulls out the tablets. "I'll show you." He slides the box to the side and sets the tablets up side-by-side. They power up in seconds, projecting two blue screens in the air above them. One scrolls through system status while the other shows a globe, rapidly zooming in on Tony's position. The image resolves into a 3D rendering of Peggy's apartment building.

Tony grins. "Pretty good, if I don't say so myself."

"Impeccable as always, sir." Rhodey jumps at the sudden voice but Tony smiles. Part of him relaxes for the first time since he left for Afghanistan.

"Hey, JARVIS. It's good to hear your voice again."

"And you as well, sir. I must point out that the technical sophistication of your current residence does not allow for proper security monitoring."

Tony grins. "In their systems already? How sweet. Have you been spying through the security cameras already?"

"I am merely concerned for your safety."

"I know you love me. How long did this one take? Faster than the hospital?"

"Three hours. Not my best record, but SHIELD has made some customizations."

Rhodey ignores their banter and leans forward to peer at the hologram. "Did you just lojack yourself? Your AI is giving off serious Skynet vibes."

"JARVIS is fine. We already covered Asimov's three laws and, yeah, I guess you could call it lojacking." The words come out far too chipper than the situation calls for but he's relieved to have measures in place. Two kidnappings—one attempted and the other quite successful—are enough for a lifetime. "Now JARVIS can track me, no matter where I end up."

"I want an app for that. Tell me there's an app for that."

He shrugs. "Not really but JARVIS can set something up on your phone."

Out of nowhere, Rhodey reaches over and hugs him. "I am never, ever letting that happen to you. Never again."

He wants to point out that Rhodey can't stay forever. Eventually he'll have to go back to the military. Pretty soon, actually, if Tony's calculations are correct. He's going to miss his best friend but at least he knows he won't be lonely. Not with Steve and all the people that seem to come as a package deal with Steve. Clint and Natasha are interesting. He'd met them at his birthday party and he feels like he could be good friends with them, maybe. Clint promised to come back and play Mario Kart with him. Natasha wants to take him shopping. It feels nice having plans with people who actually want to hang out with him for him, not for his money.

"You know this means I'll be able to tell when you're sneaking off with your hot Captain."

Tony blushes and ducks his head. "You can not."

"Totally can," Rhodey says, teasing. "I'm going to assume every time you're over at his place that you're doing it."

Tony rolls his eyes. He loves this playful comradery but he's not going to tell Rhodey that. "You don't even know where he lives."

"No, but JARVIS does."

"Traitor," Tony huffs. He doesn't even deny that JARVIS will tell Rhodey whatever he wants to know. Tony'd built that into JARVIS's code as a failsafe, in case anything ever happened to him. Rhodey's sort of the only person on his will, not that Tony's told him that. He doesn't want to have to have that discussion for a long while.

"Bet I can still whip your ass at Mario Kart," Rhodey says, breaking the solemn moment with a cheeky grin.

"Oh, you're on."

* * * * *

"Can I?"

Bucky looks over at the kid who's staring at Bucky's prosthesis with a bit of awe. Normally he hates gawkers but Bucky knows what it's like to be laid up for weeks on end, even if he's traded sterile hospital walls for soothing tan. He pushes away from the wall and crosses the room to stand next to the couch. Tony looks much like he did when they'd gotten to the presents portion of his birthday party when Bucky rolls up his sleeve and holds his arm out. "Knock yourself out."

Tony's touch is tentative. His fingers ghost over the metal in a way that would be ticklish if he had better sensation. It's obvious the kid is familiar with the arm. He zeros in on every imperfection. Bucky's reminded of Tony's drunken comment about building a robotic arm as he lets Tony twist the arm to test its range of movement. He wasn't sure at the time, thought it must have obviously been a joke, but he's not so sure now.

"I wish I had my precision tools," Tony mutters.

Bucky pulls his arm back. "You may be a genius, kid, but I'm not letting you fuck with my arm."

Tony looks at him with wide-eyed surprise. He cocks his head like a confused puppy. "Steve didn't tell you?"

There are a lot of things Steve doesn't tell him when it comes to this kid. Like warning him that Steve was falling head-over-heels for Tony or that Tony was so severely starved for affection that things like a fucking birthday party made him cry. "Tell me what?"

Tony points at Bucky's prosthesis. "I built that. Literally."

Bucky's pretty sure he looks stupid with his mouth hanging open gawking. That can't be true, can it? Tony's so... so young. "Seriously? But you were what, eleven?"

Tony shrugs. "Genius." He nods to the prosthesis. "I can give you a free tune-up whenever you'd like."

Bucky doesn't like having people mess with his arm but there is a bit of stiffness in the elbow that he wouldn't mind working out. "I can pay you. I don't need charity."

"It's not charity," Tony says so earnestly Bucky has to believe him. "It'd be my pleasure. I really liked working on that project." He looks down and twists his fingers in the fleece blanket Rhodes's mom had sent. When Tony continues, his voice is small. "It was nice working on something that wasn't a weapon."

He keeps his mouth shut and doesn't point out how deadly Bucky is with his enhanced prosthetic.

Tony looks up after a moment of silence. "I'd like to know how it performs, if you don't mind talking about it. Howard-" Tony flinches as he says the name. He turns away again. "Howard never passed on much detail. I always wanted to make a version two, but it never made it past sketches."

"There's a version two?" Bucky knows he sounds like a kid on Christmas morning but he doesn't care. The fact that it chases the haunted look off Tony's face and makes him smile is irrelevant.

"Yeah. Sort of. But there's room for additional enhancements if there's anything you'd like me to work in."

Tony talks like the new arms is a foregone conclusion. Grudgingly, Bucky admits the kid's kind of growing on him, but he damn well isn't saying a thing to Steve about it. He leans forward and stretches his arm out next to Tony, close enough for the kid to get another look if he wants.

Bucky grins. "I have a few ideas."

* * * * *

Tony really likes kissing Steve. It's possibly his new favorite pastime. Considering he's still restricted to bed—or couch—rest, he doesn't exactly have much to pass the time. He's been watching a lot of movies. Steve is surprisingly bad with pop culture references and Tony has taken it upon himself to educate Steve. His efforts aren't very successful, since they inevitably end up making out whenever they're alone.

Tony has kissed many, many people before. Steve is different. There's nothing hurried in his kisses. They aren't a prelude to shucking clothes—not that Tony would mind but he's still not healed enough to even think of doing more. Steve kisses him like he's something precious, something to be savored. Their tongues twist together lazily. There is no where Tony has to be and Steve has arranged his schedule so he can spend most of the day with Tony while Peggy's at SHIELD.

Steve's friends always ask before coming over, with copious teasing of invading the lovebird's nest. Tony blushes every time, even though everyone knows nothing has really happened. Rhodey is the worst, but he's back overseas so his teasing is done through webchat and text messages.

Jurassic Park plays in the background. Steve has never seen the first movie beginning to end. This is their second attempt at it, though they'll likely need a third.

"Hey," Tony says, breaking the kiss. "Watch this part."

Steve chuckles but he leans back and obediently watches the characters on screen discover the empty T-Rex pen. Tony finishes his glass of water while Steve's engrossed in the dinosaur chase and Jeff Goldblum's sassy glory. He doesn't get a chance to set the glass down before Steve's snatching it.

"I'll get you a refill."

Tony smiles. Steve has been overly-attentive, ready to fulfill Tony's every need before he even realizes he wants something. At some point, Tony will get sick of the smothering but he hasn't reached that point yet.

He turns and opens his mouth to fill Steve in on the minute he'd missed, but his words never make it out. He sees the red dot on Steve's chest seconds before the first shot. Blood sprays from Steve's shoulder. He goes down. Tony screams. Panic shoves all rational thought aside. Not again. Not again. He can't do this again.

Steve grabs Tony's shirt and pulls him down to the floor. He lands partially on Steve. There's blood on the carpet and spreading over Steve's shirt.

"No, no, no." Pressure. He has to put pressure on the wound. He grabs one of Aunt Peggy's nice throw pillows and uses his weight to hold it against Steve's chest. Steve grunts. He slings an arm over Tony's waist to hold him down with Steve, out of sight behind the couch.

The sniper isn't their only problem. Tony screams again when the door bursts open. He ducks, barely avoiding a piece of flying wood to the face. It scrapes across his arm instead. A woman in black tactical gear approaches them, gun trained on Steve.

"No!" He rolls over Steve in a move that's pure agony. He can't sit up but he slumps in front of Steve, getting between Steve's head and the gun. "Please! Don't!"

Quick calculations flick through the woman's narrowed eyes. "Come with us or he dies."

"Okay." He'll agree to anything to keep Steve safe. He's terrified of these people, of what they'll do to him, but he can't lose Steve. He can't let anyone else die because of him.

He has to use the coffee table to get to his feet. "No," Steve groans. His fingers grasp Tony's pajama pants but his grip is slack. The woman grabs Tony as soon as he's upright, pulling him away from Steve. Her hold is the only thing that keeps him upright. True to her word, she leaves Steve alone and shoves Tony out the door. From there, it's a dizzy trip down multiple sets of stairs. He's too weak to do anything but stumble along as she shoves him out a side door and into a waiting van.

Two men wait inside the van. They grab him as soon as he's close. One of them has a needle ready. He doesn't even need whatever they inject him with to knock him out. He passes out as soon as the van jerks into motion.


	5. Chapter 5

Sam has a bad feeling when he hears a van peel out right as he's walking into Peggy's building. It's probably nothing. New York City is known for its crazy drivers. Still, he walks a little quicker to the elevator and pushes the button for the fourth floor a few times more than is strictly necessary. He pulls out his phone and debates calling Bucky. He really should get confirmation that something's wrong before pulling Bucky away from work.

His hesitance lasts until the elevator doors open. The door to 4G is busted open. "Fuck!" He fumbles with his phone, trying to get Bucky's number up while running down the hall. It starts ringing when he gets to the doorway.

"Steve!"

The phone is quickly forgotten. He drops it somewhere. One minute he's in the doorway and the next he's at Steve's side. He pulls his t-shirt off and throws the bloody pillow aside. The bullet looks like a through-and-through. It missed his heart by a hand's length. He's never been more grateful for crappy marksmen.

"Hey, Steve." He slaps Steve's face to get his attention. Steve's still awake, which is something. His eyes are unfocused and he misses Sam's face by a mile.

"Tony..."

"I know, buddy." He shoves his wadded shirt under Steve's shoulder. "You just hang on there. We're gonna find Tony. You're gonna help too, aren't you, Steve?"

"Yeah," Steve whispers. "Help Tony."

Someone's shouting through Sam's phone. He does an awkward backward stretch to grab it.

"-way," Bucky shouts. "Sam? Sam? I'm coming. Help's coming. Please, just-"

"I'm here. Bucky, I'm here."

Bucky releases an explosive sigh. His voice wavers as he asks, "Is Steve...?"

"Steve's right here. Say hi, Steve."

Sam holds the phone down long enough for Steve to wheeze out, "Hi, Steve."

Bucky's laugh is wet and strained but at least he's laughing. "Punk. Tell that asshole that he's not allowed to die on me. I'll haunt his stupid ass."

"I think it's supposed to go the other way, Buck."

"Whatever. Shut up. Just keep him... Don't let him die, Sammy. I'm on my way."

"No," Sam says. "Don't." He can hear sirens approaching. "There's an ambulance on the way." He thinks there is. He assumes Bucky would have notified someone before rushing off. "Listen, they took Tony. You need to find Tony."

"Like Hell I'm-"

Steve tugs on Sam's pant leg. He's look a little more lucid. Sam lowers the phone so Steve can speak.

"Buck, listen to me." He hears Bucky's rant cut off. "I'm fine. I'm going to be fine." Steve's stretching the definition of fine but Sam's not going to argue semantics right now. Maybe Steve's pulling from Tony's dictionary with his skewed version of F.I.N.E.

"I need you to find Tony for me. Please, Buck. I won't forgive myself is something happens to him. I was right here, Buck. Right here and I couldn't stop them."

Bucky says something reassuring. Steve's shoulders relax and he nods at Sam to take the phone back.

The paramedics have excellent timing. One of the medics takes Sam's place while the other prepares a stretcher. Sam stays out of their way and follows them down to the ambulance.

Steve is going to be just fine. Tony, he's not so sure about.

* * * * *

At least it isn't a cave. Tony struggles upright. He leans against the wall, gasping for too-short breaths. His lungs fill a little easier when he's not flat on the floor, but he still feels seconds away from passing out again. It's tempting. They can't make him do anything if he's unconscious. He needs to buy time for SHIELD to find him. JARVIS can track him. He made sure of that.

Assuming, of course, they don't have anything in place to block the tracking device. The only people who know about it are JARVIS and Rhodey. He's hoping sneakiness will work in his favor.

"You sound like shit."

Tony bites back a scream at the familiar voice far too close for comfort. He shifts, putting his back against the wall as he faces Howard. He's defenseless and that terrifies him. One look at Howard drops his fear from pants-wetting to on the verge of a panic attack.

"You're not much better," he snaps back. His mouth will be the death of him one day, but at least he'll have pissed someone off in the process.

Howard leans against the opposite wall and laughs. Not one of his condescending show-laughs, but a real chuckle. "Point taken."

Howard really does look like shit. He's got a black eye on top of a dozen other bruises. His fancy suit is shredded and bloody. He's filthy. Judging by the smell, he hasn't bathed in far too long. "What the hell happened to you?"

"I'd ask the same but I'm not sure you'd tell me." There's no anger in Howard's words, for a change, just a statement of fact. Howard lifts his arms to show off a thick pair of handcuffs. Tony isn't wearing any so his kidnappers rightly assumed he's not going to be a physical threat. "Welcome to AIM."

Tony frowns. "AIM?" The name sounds vaguely familiar.

"Advanced Idea Mechanics. They're a think-tank full of crazy inventors."

"Sounds like you'd fit right in." Tony's not sure what's with his mouth today. Maybe seeing Howard taken down a few pegs makes him safe. Or, maybe his stay with the Ten Rings makes Howard's wrath trivial in comparison. There aren't any pools of water nearby. Physical violence is a cakewalk after that.

Howard stares at him for a long time but he doesn't make a move toward Tony. "I deserve that, I suppose." Tony's eyebrows shoot up at the candid admission. "Not my brand of crazy, though. They're more interested in world domination than flying cars."

Tony drops his head back and sighs. "More terrorists. Great."

"What?"

Tony rolls his eyes. "Don't pretend you didn't know what Stane was doing. The weapons shipments? Ten Rings? Ring any bells? Only they wanted to use me instead of kill me so I've got all these lovely souvenirs from my extended stay in their luxury cave system."

Howard actually looks surprise. "What? Tony, I'd never-"

"Kill me?" Tony spits, suddenly furious. His pulse pounds against his skin. He needs to calm down. He's going to pass out if he doesn't get his breathing back under control but he's so mad. He's had all of this rage buried inside of him ever since his mother died, with no way to release it. For whatever reason, Howard's let himself become a target. "Why? Because you want that privilege yourself? You certainly tried. Not hard enough though. I should have told Aunt Peggy sooner. I would have loved to see you behind bars."

Howard looks away, ashamed. "Look, I know I wasn't any kind of father to you. I was a drunken asshole before I lost Maria. I blamed you for her death and I shouldn't have. It was just a car accident. You had no hand in that but I was too blind with grief and alcohol to see anything but rage."

It's Tony's turn to stare. "What do you mean 'just a car accident'? You paid to have her killed."

"I what now?" Howard seems shocked, like he has no idea what Tony's talking about. "I... I would never... I loved my wife."

What? Tony had been certain. There'd been evidence. Bank statements. Obie had-

Shit.

That knowledge doesn't change much. Maybe Howard had loved Maria. He certainly didn't love anyone else. "But not me?"

Howard flinches. "Tony-"

Whatever weak apology he was about to offer is cut off by the door opening.

"So sorry to break up the family reunion," a smirking blond man says, "but it's time for Stark Jr. to earn his keep."

Howard lunges at the man with a snarl. Two goons walk in. One knocks Howard back with a punch to the face while the other hauls Tony off the floor. Tony's head spins at the sudden change in altitude. He can't even enjoy Howard's pain. He lists against the goon's side as he's dragged out of the room.

He's vaguely aware of white walls and long corridors. He's shoved down into a rolling chair in front of an ancient-looking desktop. The blond claps his hands on Tony's shoulders hard enough to make Tony wince.

"It's so good to see you again, Tony. You probably don't remember me. It's been ages and we were a few grades apart at school."

He knows this man? Now that he thinks of it, the voice does sound familiar, but the face definitely doesn't match. "Al? Wait, but weren't you..."

"Weak? Pathetic?" There's an audible sneer in Aldrich Killian's voice.

"I was going to say paraplegic."

Al claps Tony's shoulders again. "All that's changed. Miracle of modern technology. I've got some very resourceful friends, Tony, and they're paying big bucks for you to help me with a little problem."

None of that sounds good. "What problem?"

Al pushes Tony's chair closer to the desktop. He taps a series of keys and brings up a screen full of code. "This."

Tony leans forward to get a better look. It's hard to tell from the first few lines but he thinks it's an intrusion program.

"You see, Tony." Al's hand slides from Tony's shoulder to the back of his neck. Tony goes stiff with fear. Al's fingers are tight. Not painful, yet, but the promise is there. "I really need you to do this for me. Consider it a personal favor. My employer is happy and doesn't kill me. I'm happy and don't kill you or your father."

"Please, don't hold back on Howard for me. He's a piece of shit."

Al squeezes Tony's neck in warning. "Oh, I remember. He was a bastard to you back then too. It got worse, I hear, so I'm counting on daddy dearest to help keep you in line."

Tony doesn't point out that he's past the point of terror at his father's presence and pushed over into some kind of insane bravery. Let Al think he has leverage.

"What do you want?" Tony asks instead.

"I want you," another pointed squeeze, "to make this work against SHIELD and any other government agency that tries to get in our way."

"I can't-" His protest turns into a cry of pain. Agony fills his chest as he tries to twist away from Al's harsh grip.

"You can, Tony. Don't lie to me."

Tony's eyes go wide and he stares up at Al. It's like he's never seen Al before. Yeah, he's pushed up a few levels in hotness factor since they were in school together but the absolute rage that twists Al's face takes all that away and turns him into something close to demonic.

There's that fear he's been missing. He whimpers and tries to shy away but Al won't let him move. Al crouches down to Tony's level and speaks slowly, enunciating every word. "Listen, Tony. I don't want to hurt you, but I will. I'll hurt you very, very badly. Enough that the Ten Rings seem like amateurs. Got it?"

Al actually waits for Tony to nod before continuing his threat.

"Good. So you're going to be a good boy and finish the damn code for me or I'm going to haul you to the bathroom down the hall and drown you in the tub."

Panic turns Tony's body into a rigid board of pain. He blacks out. He's not sure how long but when he comes back, he's still in front of the computer. There's nothing else in the room except for a pair of cameras on either side of the room.

He just has to buy time. SHIELD won't need that long. He needs to stall. He sure as hell isn't going to build anything for them. He doesn't know who Al's working for, but he's certain they're as bad as the Ten Rings if not worse. There's no way he's going to let the terrorists win.

He scrolls slowly through the code. They're not dumb. The terminal has no outside access. No wifi, no internet. It's just him and some code. He sees exactly what they're trying to do. They want a smart decryption program that can adjust on the fly. JARVIS could do it in minutes, but he's not telling anyone that. Skynet references aside, he doesn't want anyone taking JARVIS away from him.

He's not giving these bastards anything they can use to hurt Steve or Peggy or any of his new friends. They're close enough that they're going to get there. Tony knows he'll cave eventually. He's not built to withstand torture. His body can barely withstand everyday life.

Al has a flaw. Tony's starting to remember more of their days at boarding school and there's one thing that Tony remembers coming up time and time again. Al has a temper. He has a really, really bad temper that Tony's tripped a time or two on accident. He knows exactly what buttons to push to throw Al into a frothing rage.

Tony stretches his fingers and begins typing. He knows what they're looking for in a fix. He can make something that looks like it'll work while destroying their systems. The first time they run it, it'll wreck their entire network.

He hopes SHIELD gets here soon because Al really will kill him when he finds out.

* * * * *

"Where is he?"

All eyes turn toward Steve as he stomps into the briefing room of SHIELD headquarters, Sam hot on his heels.

"What the hell are you doing?" Bucky shouts. "Get your ass back to the hospital."

Steve growls. He's already had this fight once. He doesn't need to waste time going over it again. "Not until I know where Tony is."

"Captain Rogers," Peggy snaps, joining the fray. "I will order you if I have to."

"Don't even-"

The lights flicker and everyone stops talking. The large screen on the wall flickers to life. "Pardon the intrusion," a strange voice says.

Steve's the only one who seems to have a clue. "JARVIS?"

Peggy's quick "What?" is drowned out as the voice continues.

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry to interrupt, but I believe I have located Master Stark."

They all stare as the screen shifts to an aerial view of an industrial complex in Hoboken, according to the label in the bottom right. A red dot blinks over one of the warehouses.

"How reliable is this information?" Peggy asks, her voice in full Colonel mode.

"There is a ninety-seven percent level of accuracy. The nanites appear to be operating with minimal interference."

"Nanites?" Steve asks. Sam is so confused.

"Sir believed precautions were necessary to ensure his future safety. We had hoped to have more time for testing before a live run."

Peggy presses a button on the intercom. "I need a strike team ready to leave in the next five minutes." The person on the other end answered in the affirmative. Peggy straightened and regarded the gathered agents. "Romanov, find everything you can on that location. I want to know who we're dealing with. Barton, I want you in a chopper on aerial support. Barnes, you're lead."

"Ma'am-" Steve starts.

Peggy talks over him. "Rogers, I want you down in medical until a doctor clears you."

Steve looks ready to fight. He opens his mouth and a loud buzz makes half the room jump. Coulson steps forward, taser held at the ready. "I would appreciate your cooperation, Captain Rogers."

Steve pales. His shoulders slump and he grudgingly trudges out the door with Coulson on his heels. Sam shares a look with Bucky. He wants to go with them. He's not an Agent but he's on SHIELD's approved guest list. He wishes he had his wings.

He shakes his head. Bucky nods and leads the Commandos off. Sam goes after Steve. He may not be on the team rescuing Tony, but he can at least keep Steve from doing something stupid while they wait.

* * * * *

Tony's shoved back in the room with Howard as soon as he announces to the cameras that he's done. He assumes Al is reviewing the code. He wonders how long it'll be before Al figures out what Tony's done.

He doesn't wait long.

Tony flinches when the room shakes from a distant explosion. Either Al tested the code on something explosive or SHIELD is here. His captivity has come to an end either way.

The door slams open hard enough to dent the wall. Al's presence is announced by an enraged snarl. "You little shit."

Tony doesn't have a chance to move before Al's slamming him against the wall with a hand around his throat. His head explodes with pain. He can't breathe, which isn't exactly new, but still frightening every time. He's too weak to fight Al. He can't even lift his arms to defend himself.

If Steve survived being shot, he's going to be so mad.

Someone else shouts, the sound of it ringing in Tony's ears and bouncing through his brain like a ricocheting bullet. He's vaguely aware of falling. His face hits the floor. The room swims around him. He can breathe again. He's starting to have a love-hate relationship with oxygen and the constant lack of it.

He needs to move but he can't. Two pairs of feet dance in front of him. Al and... Howard? No, that doesn't make sense. Howard isn't the kind of person to stick his own neck out, especially not for Tony.

He flinches when a gun goes off, too close and too loud. A body lands in front of him. He's face-to-face with Howard, who's got a pained expression. He looks right at Tony and whispers, "I'm sorry."

The gun goes off again. Then again. Howard's eyes stay open but his gaze loses focus. Tony squeezes his own shut. He trembles, too weak to move as Al empties the clip. None of them hit Tony, but he knows it's only a matter of time. Al reloads. Tony keeps his eyes closed. It's better if he doesn't see it coming.

The room shakes from another explosion. He hears shouting in the distance. SHIELD's here but they're too late. He hopes he can see his mom when he dies.

Another gunshot. Tony expects it to hurt but he doesn't feel any different. Something hits the floor and he blinks his eyes open to stare at Al. There's a bloody mess where his face used to be. Tony wants to scream. He probably is. He's not mentally present anymore. He's had enough. He can't do this anymore.

Someone touches him and he knows he screams. Strong arms pull him upright, one flesh, the other metal. Long brown hair frames a stoic face. Bucky. God, he's never been happier to see Bucky. His fingers curl around one of the straps of Bucky's armor. He needs to ask. There's something important he needs to know.

"S-Steve?"

Bucky glances down at him and carries him out of the room. "He'll live. Pretty pissed at you, though."

Oh. That's okay. He's getting used to people being angry at him. It's not as terrifying as it once was.

He finally lets go of consciousness. He's safe now and he deserves a little mental vacation after the day he's had. At least when he wakes up, he'll get to see Steve.


	6. Chapter 6

It's late when they finally make it to bed. Tony goes pale when they mention going back to Peggy's apartment, so Steve takes Tony home with him instead—with Peggy's blessing, of course. Nothing's going to happen. They all know that. Tony's a wreck and can barely keep on his feet. Steve's not much better. He ignores every attempt to get him to spend the night in a hospital. He's been shot before. He'll heal just fine in his own bed and he'll feel better if Tony's nearby.

Tony doesn't even smile when Steve makes them a nest of pillows. He curls into Steve's chest. His tears are quiet this time, like he's run out of energy to cry properly. Steve's drowsy with the need for sleep but he forces himself to stay awake for Tony. He rubs soothing circles against Tony's back and whispers inane platitudes.

"Why?" Tony whispers into the darkness between them. "Why did he...?"

He knows what Tony's asking but he doesn't have an answer. He's seen what Howard did to Tony. He's held Tony through the aftershocks, when he was terrified that his father was going to have him killed. They know now that Howard wasn't responsible for Maria's death, but that doesn't change the fear that made Tony too scared to speak of it to anyone.

No, Howard was not a good father. Not by a long shot. But there's a difference between being a good person and caring about one.

"I think he loved you," Steve says, "in his own twisted way. I think he was lost and misguided but, in the end, he found his way back. He remembered what being a father means. That you should protect your children, no matter what."

Tony sniffles. His hands clench the front of Steve's shirt. "Why... Why couldn't he have done that before? We could have..." Tony lets out a broken sob. "I wanted him to love me so badly. Why did he wait until now?"

Steve buries his face in Tony's hair. He doesn't have an answer for that. He doesn't think he ever will.

* * * * *

Something's bothering Tony, something more that his grief over his father and trepidations about being CEO of Stark Industries. It's plain in the hunched set of his shoulders and the way he won't quite look Ms. Potts in the eyes. Tony's got Steve's hand in a tight grip—not tight enough to hurt, but enough to tell he needs reassurance. He hasn't let Steve out of his sight since the incident, bathroom breaks being the only exception. Tony's stressed enough that Steve worries about a relapse. He doesn't want to see Tony fret himself back into the hospital.

"Ms. Potts?" Steve interrupts her mid-analysis of the current Stark Industries stock forecast. She pauses and raises an eyebrow. "Do you mind if I talk to Tony for a minute, please? Alone."

She nods and stands. "Of course." She glances at her phone. "I have a quick call to make. Will fifteen minutes suffice?"

"That'd be great. Thank you."

They stay silent until Ms. Potts steps into the hall. Then, Tony turns to him with curiosity. His shoulders are already lowering from being hunched up toward his ears. "What's up?"

Steve squeezes Tony's hand and shifts so he's facing Tony. "I was going to ask you that."

Guilt washes over Tony's face before being hidden away. "I'm fine."

He doesn't sigh, but it's close. "Tony...."

Tony shifts and pulls his hand free to run it through his hair. Steve eyes the movement. Tony's hair is getting long. It's adorable the way it curls around his face.

"I just..." Tony bites his lip.

"Whatever it is, you can tell me, Tony. No matter what."

Tony leans back against the couch and stares at the ceiling. "What if.... How horrible would I be if I said I didn't want to go back?"

"Go back where? I don't think anyone's expecting you to move back in to the Tower, but you have plenty of options. Peggy's or here or we can figures something else out."

Tony blushes and rubs the back of his head. "I, um, I may have already figured that out. There's an apartment for rent on the floor below you. A few, actually, so I was thinking I might combine them if..." He looks up at Steve through his lashes and Steve knows, before Tony even says anything, that he'll give Tony whatever he asks for. He'll give Tony the world. "...if you'd like to be neighbors, maybe."

He smiles and brushes his thumb across Tony's cheek. "I'd love that, Tony." He's not fool enough to think that Tony won't end up in Steve's bed more often than not or vice-versa. Steve's pretty okay with that though. He might even be looking forward to it.

"Okay," Tony says, bashful and sweet. "Cool." He shakes his head. "But that's not it. I meant... I mean I don't want to go back. To Stark Industries."

There's a lot to process in that statement. He doesn't know how long Tony's been building things for SI while Howard took the credit but he knows it's been at least a few years. Good enough for any resume, though it's not like Tony Stark needs one. He could go anywhere. Every tech company on the planet would beg to have him.

He looks at Tony and he sees someone far too young for all the things life's thrown at him. "That's okay, Tony. You're young. You're not supposed to have everything figured out yet. At your age, I didn't even know where I wanted to go to college, or if I wanted to go to college at all. That's why I ended up in the military. Seemed like an easier choice."

Tony squeezes Steve's hand. "I like working at Stark Industries. I like building things, I just..." His eyes meet Steve's. There's trepidation there and worry. "I don't want to make weapons anymore. That's bad, isn't it? The military depends on us. SHIELD depends on us. On me."

He's not wrong. Stark weapons are the best there is. Nothing else even comes close. To suddenly lose that advantage... Well, it would set them back. But he can't in good conscious say that to Tony, not when Tony's still broken and bruised from the terrorists who'd wanted him for his weapons and AIM.

"I think," Steve says, measuring his words carefully, "that you should do what makes you happy. If that means removing yourself from weapons projects, then you should do that."

"I don't know if I'm comfortable with SI making weapons at all. I've seen what Obie did with them. I've seen the damage we've cause. The damage I've caused."

Steve wants nothing more than to chase the haunted look from Tony's face. He knows he can't do that. There's no simple fix to the trauma Tony's been through. Instead, he places his hands on either side of Tony's face—lightly, mindful of his cuts and bruises—and kisses Tony on the forehead.

"Then shut it down."

Tony stares at him like Steve's suggested letting aliens take over. "Steve... I can't."

He meets Tony's gaze straight on. "Last I checked, it's your name on the building. It's your company. You should run it in a way that you're comfortable with."

"The board won't like it."

"Fuck 'em."

Tony snorts a laugh. "Really?"

Steve grins back. "Well, not literally. I know you, Tony. You can convince them. I'm sure you've got dozens of great ideas in that gorgeous head of yours that'll knock their socks off."

Tony raises an eyebrow. "You seem pretty confident of that."

Steve shrugs. "Just calling it like I see it."

There's a knock on the door. Ms. Potts peeks in. "Ready?"

"Yeah." Tony nods. He faces her head-on as she returns to her seat. "Pepper, there's something I'd like to discuss."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm planning a part 3 to wrap up Obie and HYDRA's plotlines. If there's anything else you'd like to see (or that I left out here), leave a suggestion in the comments and I'll try to work it in.


End file.
